Showing results by author "William Morris" in All Categories

A true-crime collection culled from the crime files of the New York Times best-selling series, Notorious USA.

In A Dream of John Ball, journey back to the year 1381 during the tumultuous Peasants Revolt, where the visionary John Ball rallies an army of peasants ready to march on London. William Morris masterfully captures the essence of medieval England, a time when the common folk began to recognize their own value and dared to envision a brighter future beyond the constraints of the ruling class. Experience the fervor of a spirited rally, complete with an inspiring speech from John Ball, followed by a gripping battle where the legendary English longbow and clothyard shaft secure victory for the ...

"The Wood Beyond the World" is a fantasy novel by William Morris, perhaps the first modern fantasy writer to unite an imaginary world with the element of the supernatural, and thus the precursor of much of present day fantasy literature. It was first published in hardcover by Morris' Kelmscott Press in 1894.

This complete edition spans 2,400 years (431 BCE–1944) in 40 hours, 155 speeches, and 52 speakers, including foundational addresses by Gandhi and Mao—voices that shaped modern Asia. Begin in 431 BCE with Demosthenes, whose structural genius remains the DNA of modern expression. Traverse Athens’ zenith via Pericles’ Funeral Oration, Alexander’s volatile proclamations, and Rome’s crisis in Cicero’s showdown with Cataline—featuring Caesar’s sole surviving senate address and Mark Antony’s incendiary eulogy.

News from Nowhere (1890) is the best-known prose work of William Morris. The novel describes the encounter between a visitor from the 19th century, William Guest, and a decentralized and humane socialist future. Set over a century after a revolutionary upheaval in 1952, these 'Chapters from a Utopian Romance' recount his journey across London and up the Thames to Kelmscott Manor, Morris's own country house in Oxfordshire.

Following the deeds of the powerful Norse gods, such as Odin, Thor and Loki, and filled with a host of fantastic creatures and objects containing magical properties, the tales in Norse Mythology will conjure up a world of heroism and romance that will enthrall listeners.

The Well at the World's End: Book 2 – The Road Unto Trouble continues Ralph of Upmeads' epic journey in search of the legendary well that grants eternal youth. Along the way, he encounters treacherous foes, unexpected allies, and perilous landscapes that test his courage and resolve. With thrilling battles, mysterious encounters, and deep lore, this installment is a must-listen for fans of classic fantasy adventures.

The Well at the World's End: Book 1 – The Road Unto Love introduces Ralph of Upmeads, a young prince who defies his father’s wishes to embark on an adventure. Driven by tales of a mystical well with life-giving waters, Ralph sets out on a journey filled with danger, romance, and wonder. This foundational fantasy novel has influenced greats like Tolkien and Lewis—an essential listen for fantasy lovers.

With contributions by: William Boyd, Candice Carty-Williams, Imtiaz Dharker, Roddy Doyle, Pico Iyer, Robert Macfarlane, Andy Miller, Jackie Morris, Jan Morris, Sisonke Msimang, Dina Nayeri, Chigozie Obioma, Michael Ondaatje, David Pilling, Max Porter, Philip Pullman, Alice Pung, Jancis Robinson...

Although William Morris is known primarily as a designer, he was also a writer of poetry and prose. The novel News from Nowhere (subtitled An Epoch of Rest Being Some Chapters from a Utopian Romance) is his best-known prose work and describes a humane socialist future as experienced by William Guest, who is transplanted there from the 19th century. Set in London and Oxfordshire, the novel takes place in 2090, over a century after a revolutionary upheaval. It remains a distinctive literary contribution to the concept of the utopian ideal.

When the wife of Golden Walter betrays him for another man, he leaves home on a trading voyage to avoid the necessity of a feud with her family. However, his efforts are fruitless, as word comes to him en route that his wife's clan has killed his father. As a storm then carries him to a faraway country, the effect of this news is merely to sunder his last ties to his homeland. Walter comes to the castle of an enchantress, from which he rescues a captive maiden in a harrowing adventure (or rather, she rescues him).

The Wood Beyond the World transports its hero, Walter the Golden, from the English village of Langton-on-Holm across the seas to a magical kingdom in a forest beyond the known world, ruled by the Mistress, an extraordinarly beautiful, complex, and sinister woman. There he meets the Maid, a woman captured, enslaved, and tortured by the Mistress, who has magical powers of her own.

"The Wood Beyond the World" is perhaps the first modern fantasy novel to unite an imaginary world with the element of the supernatural and is thus the precursor of much of present-day fantasy literature. The protagonist, (Golden Walter), gets married when he is a young man. His wife betrays him with another, so in his sorrow and to avoid a feud with her family, he sets off to sea.

This fascinating work centers around the encounter between a visitor from the nineteenth century, William Guest, and a decentralized and humane socialist future without class segregation and with direct democracy without government al empowerment. Inspired by the work of John Ruskin and Karl Marx; this novel is not only a statement of egalitarian convictions but a great early contribution to the utopian genre! This work could be seen as a kind of utopian counterpart to George Orwell's famous and deeply pessimistic, dystopian novel 1984.

Step into the enchanting world of The Hollow Land by William Morris, narrated by Christopher Mireider. This timeless medieval fantasy tells the tale of a mystical quest through lush forests, ivy-clad castles, and an otherworldly land hidden beyond the horizon. Filled with themes of chivalry, romance, and adventure, Morris’s richly descriptive prose invites listeners into a dreamlike landscape where courage and destiny intertwine.

This is Volume VIII of the National Academy of Sciences Biographical Memoirs series. It is read as 33 sections using the memoir headings. John Wesley Powell (1834-1902) was a leading figure in the geological explorations of the West and helped establish the federal U.S. Geological Survey in 1879. He also led the Bureau of Ethnology and advocated for better treatment and study of Native American tribes and culture. He wrote a definitive study of the arid western U.S., advocating for thoughtful irrigation and land management practices. Powell predicted that water rights purchased by corporations...

A celebration of one of the world's best loved actors, Sir John Gielgud. Here you can hear him perform his classic roles and read some of his favourite poetry.

The Well at the World's End: Book 3 – The Road to The Well at the World's End continues Ralph of Upmeads’ daring quest for the mystical well that grants eternal youth. Along his journey, he encounters both friends and foes, testing his resolve and courage. This installment is filled with magic, peril, and adventure, leading ever closer to his ultimate goal.

Welcome to the world of shadows, cloaked in perpetual starlight; its denizens are a mysterious and frightening breed. And sometimes, just sometimes, their eldritch whispers and murmurs can cross the boundaries of reality and enter our darkest dreams. Richard Groller and his troupe of dead and living poets pull back the veil in The Book of Night, revealing the terrifying denizens of the shadows.

El bosque del fin del mundo (William Morris, 1834-1896), fue publicada originalmente en 1884. Su autor es conocido como el primer escritor de fantasía moderna en toda la historia. Esta obra, El bosque del fin del mundo, es una de las primeras novelas de fantasía en crear un mundo imaginario, lo que la convierte en la precursora de todos los universos fantásticos de la literatura moderna, entre ellos, los ciclos de Conan, Kull y los Mitos de Cthulhu, de H.P. Lovecraft, entre otros, y desde luego, la conocida trilogía de J.R.R. Tolkien: El Señor de los Anillos (The Lord Of The Rings). En...